"I remember that suspect. He was small and agile, physically fit. He climbed up to the victim's balcony or air conditioning unit using the exposed drainage pipe on the outside of the building, then entered through the window," Zhao Ying recalled.
"Indeed, the method used in those two cases is very similar," Zheng Kaixuan nodded slightly. "Where is that suspect now?"
"I believe he was sentenced to just over three years. If he behaved well, he might've already been released."
"Send someone to the sub-bureau and check on his status."
"Yes, sir."
Zhao Ying's information was important—there aren't many people capable of committing crimes at such heights. Investigating along this line could likely lead to the suspect.
"Lu Wen, has the forensics team found anything?"
Lu Wen sipped his noodle soup and replied, "The forensics team has already examined all the crime scenes and collected photographic evidence, but so far, there's nothing particularly useful."
"What about fingerprints?"
"We've collected them all. Most have already been matched and belong to the household members. We haven't found any suspicious prints yet. The remaining samples are still being processed."
"Finish the analysis as soon as possible. The moment you find a possible match to a suspect, let me know immediately."
"Yes, sir."
Zheng Kaixuan then looked at Han Bin and Li Hui. "What did Team Two find?"
"Captain Zheng," Li Hui said, "this suspect committed nine break-ins in a short time. He must be bold, meticulous, and experienced."
"Mhm." Zheng Kaixuan agreed—this aligned with his assessment too.
"Also, the suspect must be familiar with the neighborhood—either he scouted it beforehand or lives nearby."
"Do you have any suggestions?"
"Check residents in the area with a history of theft. See if any of them might have reoffended."
"That's a good direction to investigate." Zheng nodded, then turned to Han Bin. "Anything from you?"
Han Bin finished a skewer of lamb and said, "Captain Zheng, I think we should narrow down the exact time the crimes were committed. That'll really help with reviewing surveillance footage, identifying the suspect, and guiding interrogations."
"Agreed. That's very important," Zheng Kaixuan said in approval.
"All nine homeowners were out last night. The last one left home around 10 a.m., so the suspect couldn't have started placing tape before then."
"If I were the suspect, I would have placed the tape before noon," Han Bin continued.
"What makes you say that?" Zhao Ying asked.
"The tape was meant to check whether the home was occupied. If it's placed too late in the day, there won't be enough time to tell if anyone opened the door—it loses its purpose," Han Bin explained.
"People tend to go in and out around noon and in the evening—for lunch, grocery shopping, food deliveries, and of course, returning home from work. If the tape is placed before noon, it increases the chances of catching whether a door was opened or not."
"That explains the tape. What about the actual time of the break-ins?" Li Hui asked.
"I talked to a resident whose home wasn't burglarized. He left at 9 a.m. and came back at 11 p.m. There were no signs of forced entry. That means the suspect hadn't checked the tape by the time this resident returned. So if we factor in time to inspect the tape, the actual break-ins probably started after midnight," Han Bin speculated.
Clap clap... Zhao Ying applauded. "Not bad! Solid reasoning. Want to transfer to our team?"
Han Bin just smiled without replying.
"Hey now, don't be poaching people right in front of me," Zheng Kaixuan teased. "If Team Leader Lao Zeng finds out you lured this guy away, he'll be out for blood."
Zhao Ying shrugged, then continued analyzing:
"According to Han Bin's theory, if the suspect started at midnight and hit nine homes—some of which are up on the 30th floor—that's a huge amount of work. Based on my experience, it would take at least 3 to 4 hours. And with dawn breaking around 5 a.m., climbing around outside would be too risky. So the suspect likely operated between midnight and 4 a.m."
Clap clap clap... A few members of Team One applauded.
"Captain Zhao is awesome!"
"Excellent analysis, Zhao!"
"You're amazing, Zhao!"
Zheng Kaixuan gave them a side-eye and joked, "Bunch of suck-ups."
Cough...
Zhao Ying coughed lightly, a bit embarrassed.
Clap clap... Li Hui joined in, clapping:
"Captain Zheng is awesome—saw through their act in an instant!"
"Li Hui, you're no better than us," Team One fired back.
Everyone burst into laughter.
After some joking around, they returned to the case discussion.
Having finished his meal, Zheng Kaixuan lit a cigarette and said, "If the break-ins happened between midnight and 4 a.m., then from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. was preparation time."
"Placing the tape probably took about an hour. Checking it maybe half an hour. Where was the suspect during all the other time?" Li Hui asked.
"Either they left the neighborhood or stayed hidden nearby," Zhao Ying speculated.
"If they left, we might catch them on the entrance or basement security cameras," Li Hui reasoned.
"If they stayed, where would they hide?"
"This is a self-built community in Linfang Village. Most residents know each other. If the suspect loitered outside the buildings too long, someone would notice. If I were the suspect, I'd hide in the stairwell," Han Bin analyzed.
"To climb and break in, the suspect needed to stay in peak physical condition. Over an 11-hour wait, they'd need to eat, drink, and use the restroom. They may have left trash in the stairwell," Zhao Ying added.
"For now, our investigation will go in two directions: first, reviewing surveillance footage; second, checking suspects with theft records. We'll assign specific tasks tomorrow morning. Everyone's exhausted—go home and rest for now," Zheng Kaixuan instructed.
"Captain Zheng, the homeowner from Unit 2704 needs to pay for surgery the day after tomorrow," Li Hui reminded.
"Look at everyone—do you really think we can work effectively like this tomorrow if we stay up all night?" Zheng countered.
"I suggest we split into day and night shifts. Have two people start tonight collecting records of those with theft history. That way, we can get to work immediately tomorrow morning," Zhao Ying proposed.
Zheng nodded. "Good idea. You handle it."
"Yes, sir."
(End of Chapter)